Fracture sling



N. A. FLEISI-IIMAN 2,488,058

' FRACTURE SLING Nov. 15, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 21, 1947 I i\NVENTOR I NORMAN A. Fmsnnm ATTORNEYS Now l5, 1949 v N. A. FLEISHMAN2,488,058

FRAC'IURE SLING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 21, 1947 \NVENTQR NORMANATLmsHMAN ATTORNEYfi Patented Nov. 15, 1949 FRACTURE SLING Norman A.Fleishman, Muskcgon, Mich.

Application April 21, 1947,- Serial Nb. 742,910

1 Claim. -(Cl- 128-84) The present invention relates to a fracture slingand more particularly to a sling adapted to maintain the position ofreduction ofa fractured vertebra during the application of any suitableimmobilizing agent such as that commercially known as Air-Lite,manufactured and sold by the Tower Company, Seattle, Washington.

The primary objects of the instant invention are to provide a fracturesling of the general character above indicated whereby a cast mayheclosely'fltted to a patient'suffering from the fracture of the vertebraat the upper point of any of the three points of fixation totherebyobtain reduction, which three points are (l) the pelvic brimanteriorly, (2) the site of fracture posteriorly, and (3) the region ofthe sternal notch anteriorly and superiorly; to provide such afracture-sling whereby thethree points referred to above permit theretention of the necessary extension of the patient; .to provide such afracture sling whose opposite-ends may be both either elevated and/ordropped and lengthened or shortened to increaseor decrease the degreeand character of 'arch of the vertebra ofathe patient; to providesuchafracture slingihavingra secondary sling adapted'to allow the arms-ofthe patient to remain in a position of comfort not greater than'90degrees :abduction to thereby permit .a close fitting of the applicationof the cast without extension of the scapulae and latissimus dorsaemuscles; .toiprovide such a fracture sling which is highly efficient andconvenient in its intended use; and, to provide such a fracture slingwhich is reasonably-economical in manufacture.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure l'is a side elevational view of the sling and its supportingframe showing the patient selectively slung in one position prior to thefitting of the cast; W

Figure 2is-a view similar toFigure l butshowingthe patient selectivelyslung :in a different position;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the sling and its supporting frame,partly broken away at its foot end;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary head end view of the sling and its supportingframe, partly in section; and

Figure 5 is a plan view of the sling per se.

Referring then to the drawings wherein like parts of the structure shownare designated by the same numerals in the several views, the supis l inFigure 5 ,is bifurcated at its head end whose porting frame for thesling l0 comprises apair of parallelly spaced forward verticallydisposed members'il l, 512 and a pair of parallelly spaced rearwardvertically disposed members witha foot t5.

.A horizontally disposed rectangularly formed frame head 16, likewiseformed of tubular stock, is supported on and fixedly secured tothe-upper ends of theframe members ll,'l2, l3 and I4 and the upperlengthsof each longer member of the frame head It is provided with aseries of spaced pin receiving apertures l1 and with a series of spacedpin receiving apertures l8, each of the opposite series of apertures l1,it being in lateral registration-as best shown in Figure 3.

An arm rest IQ for the patient 20 is securedto the inner ends of a pairof inwardly converging tubular stock members 21, 22 whose outer ends arevertically adjust-ably :securedito the forward frame members H, l2 inany suitable manner as by thumbscrews 23' whereby the arm rest 19 maybe-selectively elevated or dropped within the discretion of theattending physician and for the comfort of the patient who is to beencased withinthe cast.

A cross member 24 slidably disposed between the longer lengths of therectangular frame head I6 is provided at its :opposite ends with a pinreceiving well adapted to register with any of the proximate series ofpin receiving apertures l1 whereby a detachable pin 25 maylongitudinally adjustably fix the cross bar as may be desired ,and, ahanger '2 6 likewise slidably disposed on each longer length of therectangular frame head 16 is provided with a pin receiving well adaptedto register with any of the proximate seriesof apertures l8 whereby eachhanger may be longitudinally adjustably fixed to its length of the frameahead as may be required in a given instance by a detachable pin-2 1.

The sling Ill-of any suitable flexible material such as canvas or otherfabric and bestshown spaced tongues 28 are adapted to accommodate theneck of the patient therebetween when in slung position, the arms beingdisposed on op posite sides of each tongue and supported on theadjustable arm rest l9 as best shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The outer end of each tongue 28 is provided with a hem 29 for suspendingthe head end of the sling by means of a pair of longitudinallyadjustable straps 30, each secured to a pair of spaced hangers 3|laterally adjustable on the .l3, l4 all: here shownas'tubular inform-andeach provided and the foot end of the sling pair of spaced strapreceiving grommets 32 each adapted to receive a longitudinallyadjustable strap 33 secured to a cross bar 34 vertically adjustable onand between the rearward frame member I3, M by means of the thumb screws35.

The side lengths of the sling I are provided with a pair of oppositelydisposed laterally projecting tongues 36 intermediate their lengths butnearer the foot end of the sling which tongues are each provided with astrap receiving grommet 3'! adapted to receive a longitudinallyadjustable strap 38 whose other end is: suspended from a longitudinallyadjustable hanger 26.

The sling per se may of course be suspended from any suitable type offrame, the gist of the invention residing in a longitudinally adjustablesling provided with a bifurcated head adapted to accommodate the neck ofthe patient and whose tongues are adapted to be selectively elevated ordropped, a foot adapted to be selectively elevated or dropped-bothadjustably controlling the degree and character of curvature of thefractured vertebra-and most important, the sling is provided withoppositely disposed lateral tongues to which vertically and horizontallyadjustable suspending ligaments may be secured whereby rigid fixation ofthe knees of the patient cross member 24 is provided with a tion whichbegins at the pelvis.

In use, the tongue portions 28 of the sling l9 which engage oppositesides of the neck of the patient 25 can be made to effect the greatestpoint of fiexion at either the high, low or intermediate portion of thevertebral column by horizontally and vertically adjusting the sling, thedegree and character of the arching Of the fracbeing essential in theobtaining of complete reduction. The close application to the body ofthe patient of the two rami or tongue portions 28 of the sling permitsof a close fitting cast at the upper point or any of the three points offixation which is highly desirable.

The use of the secondary sling or arm rest I9 is highly desirable sincethe arms of the patient duction, out extension of the scapulae andlatissimus dorsae muscles. The cast which is otherwise at this pointbecause the arms of the patient are extended over the head fits snuglyfacilitating a much better reduction.

It will thus be seen that the fracture sling herein shown and describedis Well adapted for use in applying a close fitting cast to a patientsuffering from the fracture of the vertebra; that the fracture slingpermits of (1) the pelvic brim anteriorly, (2) the site of fractureposteriorly, and (3) the region of the sternal notch anteriorly andsuperiorly; that the opposite ends of the fracture sling may be botheither elevated or dropped and lengthened or shortened to increase ordecrease the degree and character of the arch of the vertebra of thepatient; that the fracture sling preferably includes a secondary slingadapted to allow the arms of the patient to remain in a position ofcomfort not greater than degrees abduction thereby permitting a closefitting of the application of the cast without extension of the scapulaeand latissimus dorsae muscles; that the fracture sling is highlyeiiicient and convenient in its intended use; and, that the fracturesling is reasonably economical in manufacture.

While but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shownand described, it Will be understood that certain details of theconstruction shown may be altered or omitted Without departing from thespirit of the invention as the same is defined by the following claim.

I claim: 9

A fracture frame including spaced pairs of supporting legs and parallellongitudinal supporting members connected to the said pairs of legs andspacing them from each other, a longitudinally adjustable transverse barmounted on said supporting members and extending therebetween, alongitudinally adjustable hanger on each supmember mounted in spacedrelation to transverse bar, a second transverse bar NORMAN A. FLEISHMAN.REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

